**** An Alert ****

Our neighborhood WhatsApp group had a notice distributed about an up coming program at the Children’s Hospital (Hospital del Niño – Panama City) on Monday 23, Tuesday 24, and Wednesday 25.

Now maybe most of the residents in Panama are aware of this, but it is important enough that I am going to post the message in English as well as the original WhatsApp message.

Here is my rough English translation:

Doctors from the Shriners Hospital for Children in Shreveport, Louisiana will doing free evaluations of children with orthopedic problems. The evaluations will be performed on the first floor behind emergency room. Some of those evaluated may be approved for surgery and all expenses, including transportation and a chaperon, will be paid by the Foundation of Abou Saad Shriners.

The following documentation must be brought to the evaluation: Birth Certificate, Vaccination records, and recent X-rays of the affected area.

The program is for children a few months old to under 18 years.

Interested parties may receive more information by calling 3 15-1515..

My cousin in OK is a Shriner and drives children and their families that have been approved for surgery to the hospital in LA. The Shriners do an amazing job helping those that cannot afford to help their child.

I guess my question would be this: are they going to transport these that are approved here to LA to their hospital for surgery. I know they put the family member(s) up in a hotel, but this would also require passports for all concerned wouldn’t it? I don’t think all Panamanian’s have passports.

As B&A said, Many of the indigenous do not have vaccination nor birth cert records and certainly not passports. They are some that need this assistance the most.

Indigenous kids do have vaccinations. They go to centros de salud. If you visit a centro you’ll see them getting their vaccines and their milk and oatmeal bags. Also every year thr health ministry goes door to all neighborhoods checking the vaccination cards giving the shots thst are missing if needed. I’ve seen it. They also have the same for jubilados. I have my card and get my shots free becsuse i have Panamanian retirement benefits. This something i am proud of this country. Free Health programs and preventive medicine.